


Closeness

by cowboystan



Category: Ed Edd n Eddy
Genre: Fluff, I don't know what to tag this really, It's just cute I promise, M/M, baby boys in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-13
Updated: 2019-02-13
Packaged: 2019-10-27 09:01:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17763809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cowboystan/pseuds/cowboystan
Summary: Sometimes they would hold hands and, despite Edd’s fear of germs, he clasped on tight and felt fine with the other boy’s touch.





	Closeness

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, so this is my first real fully written out fic...  
> I am trying to get better at writing prose and all that jazz since I primarily focus on dialogue.  
> I hope you like it :)

          Eddward had never been comfortable with physical contact. Since he was little he was taught that cleanliness is an essential trait to have. To not be clean was unbecoming and lead to either sickness, punishment, or both. This evoked a small fear within Edd that encouraged him to follow all of the rules of hygiene set out by his parents: Brush your teeth well both morning and night. Clean up after yourself. Don’t leave belongings lying around where they shouldn’t be. Always wash your hands after handling something with germs. The list went on, and every one of the rules were held at great importance to his parents.  
          Years and years of repeated scolding and reminders infused these rules into Edd’s subconscious. Once he reached 4th grade, he no longer needed any reminders, and did all that was asked of him willingly. Though, this did not stop his mother from finding something wrong. No matter how small the mistake, she would point it out and berate him for it. Maybe he finished brushing a tad too early, forgot to wash his hands before dinner, or missed a small speck of food on a plate while doing dishes; it didn’t matter because it wasn’t perfect. It was messy, and when things are messy you will either get sick, be punished, or both.

          Once Edd reached 5th grade, he was overly aware of how clean he and his surroundings were. Both must be clean. If anyone touched him that would mean he was no longer clean and he would have to wash his hands. If any of his stuff was touched, it had to be sanitized and put back in its place as soon as possible.  
This was a hassle, especially as his two closest friends were some of the dirtiest (ed) and rowdiest (eddy) people he knew.  
The Eds were close. They did everything together, both in and out of school. This was probably because everything that they did usually ended in disaster, driving everyone else away, but all the same.  
          Ed and Eddy were both very vocal about Edd’s habits, and often made it a point to mess with something or touch him despite his discomfort. He learned to live with it, and it soon became only a minor annoyance. He could always clean up later, he told himself, they are just having fun. 

          Reaching 6th grade, Edd was very familiar with the other two Ed’s disregard for his personal space. Ed would often pull him into bone-breaking hugs and grab onto him for emphasis. Eddy was a very touchy person in general, and Edd found himself under his arm or being dragged by the hand more times than he could count.  
The annoyance was no longer present, but that didn’t make him any less uncomfortable.  
         It wasn’t until 7th grade that he began to truly appreciate the closeness of his friends. By middle school, Edd’s mother had begun loosening her control over him. This wasn’t because she was any less strict, but because Edd had learned how not to listen. In any other circumstance he would see that as the worst lesson one could ever learn. But he felt more free to live the life that he pleased. He didn’t totally ignore everything that he was told, but he began to think for himself weather or not a situation called for any said rules. This was most likely almost directly due to Eddy’s influence, but of course he would never admit to that.  
With this new freedom Edd also began to open up more to his two friends. When they hugged him, he would try to hug back. If they grabbed onto him he wouldn’t fight it and would often return their urgency with his own grasp. Soon Edd found that this encouragement meant a lot more to Eddy than he thought it would. 

          Eddy, already so touchy, began to stick to his side even more than before. Edd was the first he went to for anything, whether it be a new scheme, advice, or comfort. Soon it became commonly accepted that if there wasn’t a part of him or Eddy in contact with each other, then that meant that one of the two were at home sick, or something was wrong. They would lay their bodies upon the other for support and wrap their arms around each other. Sometimes they would hold hands and, despite Edd’s fear of germs, he clasped on tight and felt fine with the other boy’s touch.  
          With this new openness, Eddward found he was discovering more about himself as well. He found that there were quite a few things that he had always pushed down because he knew that his parents wouldn’t approve. One of these things was, of course, his sexuality. By the summer preceding 8th grade, Edd came to realize that he was overwhelmingly, extraordinarily gay. When he decided to confide in the Ed’s this new discovery, he wasn’t met with the surprise and shock that he was expecting. Both boys were rather relaxed and expressed that they had already suspected as much. Though they never gave him any reason why that was.

          Eventually Edd did have to confront his parents, and while they were not angry like he had anticipated, they were quite visibly disappointed. But disappointment was something that he could deal with now, so he kept on living like nothing had happened. What Edd couldn’t deal with was his own emotions. After Edd had come out, Eddy had become noticeably more distant. Not so much that they weren’t still best friends, but they were no longer stuck together like they used to be. Eddy was hesitant to touch him, and he didn’t know why. And since he wouldn’t tell him what was wrong, Edd could only assume the worst. That is, until the dance. 

          Middle school dances are the most unpleasant and stressful events ever conceived. They are haphazardly thrown together by the faculty, and no one truly wants to be there. However, they are somewhat of a display of social standing when you are twelve and have no other means of demonstrating superiority. The most popular boys ask out the most popular girls, and the losers go alone. In both sixth and seventh grade, the Ed’s had gone alone. They were never able to acquire any dates (especially since Eddy was the only one who really cared to try) and each year they would walk solemnly to the dance together.  
          Ordinarily, being only a week until the dreaded event, Eddy would be frantically spewing new plans to try score a hot date for the dance. But this time it was different. Eddy seemed incredibly docile. Every time Edd even tried to mention the dance, in hopes of rousing his friends usual behavior, Eddy would brush it off and say “It’s just a stupid dance. I’m not a goddamn ballerina, Sockhead.” And change the subject. Edd was not convinced that his stubborn friend could change his opinion on something that he used to feel so strongly about seemingly overnight. There had to be something deeper to it, but he let it go for the moment. 

          The night of the dance arrived, and once again, none of the Ed’s had a date. As they had walked home from school that afternoon, they had agreed to meet at Ed’s place once they were ready to return to the school, and swiftly parted ways. Eddy seemed hesitant to go home and Edd caught his bothered glance as he walked away. Though obviously worried, Edd knew it was probably just the usual no-date melancholy and was nothing to be stressed over. They would all feel much better once this dance was over with.

          A knock echoed through the empty house. Edd had just finished tying his bowtie when he heard it. That had to be Eddy. Hurrying down the steps, and slipping on his usual sneakers, Edd reached for the doorknob to let his friend in.  
He was indeed greeted by Eddy as he opened the door, but not in the ruffled, irritated state that he had imagined. Eddy stood out a foot from the door. He was well dressed in a nice baby-blue hand-me-down suit from his brother. Although the suit was also from when his brother was in junior high, it was much too big for Eddy and the sleeves and pant legs had to be rolled up to fit the new owner. In between him and Edd, he held out a large bouquet of flowers. His other hand was shoved into his pocket, desperately trying not to look as tense as he felt, and his eyes darted everywhere but Edd’s face. Edd was shocked, but quickly recovered.

          “Well, Eddy! These flowers are lovely! I didn’t know you had a date, that’s wonderful!” 

          Eddy nervously shifted in place, sputtering his response. “I-I don’t. Not yet….anyway. Uhm…”

          He looked over at Edd and felt his heart jump in his chest. This was so nerve-wracking. He didn’t think it would be this hard just to ask someone to a stupid dance, let alone his best friend.  
          “Listen, Double D. Will you– uhh” he swallowed, hard.

          “Will you go to the dance with me?” He said it. He actually said it! Thank god. That wasn’t as bad as he thought it was gonna be. Edd looked quizzically at him. 

          “But...I already am going to the dance with you.” He said, confusion evident on his face.  
Eddy felt himself facepalm in his mind. Of course it wasn’t that easy! His cheeks were burning. 

          “No, Sockhead! I mean like as my date!” He burst out. Double D recoiled in surprise. His hand was over his mouth in a small gasp. Slowly, a blush began to spread across his cheeks. His fingers found their way to his beany and tugged at it nervously. 

          “O-oh..” he replied, nearly inaudible.

          Edd could feel his heart beating in his chest, and the butterflies swarming like crazy in his stomach. He honestly felt a little lightheaded. He had never even entertained the possibility that Eddy might harbor any feelings towards him past the realm of friend. But now that he did, is was as if everything in the universe made sense. All of his previous problems and worries melted away, if only for a moment, and Edd felt invigorated (and insanely nervous).  
He realized he hadn’t answered Eddy’s question. Hesitantly, he took the flowers from Eddy’s tight sweaty hand, and gave him a tender smile. 

          “I would be delighted to attend the dance with you Eddy.”

          That year, as usual, the three eds walked to their middle school dance together. Although, this time, two of the boys walked much closer to each other, holding hands and for once, excited to go to what was once a daunting and undesirable evening. And those two were closer than ever before.


End file.
